The Fallen Queen
by Anonymous-Writing
Summary: Return part 2, essentially. Spent more time on this one and yes I'm allowed to write a sequel to my own fanfiction
1. Chapter 1

Rachel awoke in the same bed she had slept in since she was eleven, a simple metal framed double bed, and instantly reached out for a hand.

'Morning,' Morpeth said with a weak smile from next to her.

Rachel let out a sigh of relief before turning to lie on her back. She spoke much faster than expected for someone who had just woken. 'We get to visit Heiki today,' she said, still in a half haze of sleep, pretending she hadn't woken up startled from a nightmare. 'We can always go to Ithrea for some of the time we're meant to be there.'

'It isn't worth it,' Morpeth replied, 'too little time, we'd just be travelling.'

Rachel hadn't gone a day without feeling guilty about Morpeth being on Earth to look after her – she never asked for it, but she knew he wouldn't be there permanently if it wasn't to support her. He always argued he had spent six years on Ithrea, so having spent a year on Earth didn't matter, and that he would always have to choose between two worlds, but that didn't stop her feeling guilty.

'We should probably get ready,' Rachel said, reluctant to get out of bed.

'Your clothes are on the radiator.' Morpeth told her, getting out of her bed fully clothed.

'You've been up all night then?'

'You kept me up.' Morpeth replied sheepishly.

'Oh. Sorry.'

'Don't be, I'm not even tired, if I was I would have woken you up and told you to shut up.'

Rachel gave a bemused smile. 'You wouldn't have thought this would be our lives eight years ago.'

'Life has a habit of doing that doesn't it?'

There was a long silence between them, that seemed far more awkward than it used to be. Rachel seemed far away in thought, until she broke the silence with a distant question. 'Do you miss Heiki?'

Morpeth looked at her in bewilderment for a while before responding. 'Of course I do.'

'No. I mean…' Rachel sighed and forced a smile. 'Nothing. I should probably get ready, I haven't had a bath in five days. Didn't think I'd ever feel too low to relax.'

Morpeth had no idea what to say to Rachel's half-insane ramblings anymore. 'Well cheer up; we're going to Orin Fen.'

'I suppose, and we get to see Heiki – I just wish I had something a bit more exciting to tell her than that we've all been sitting at home doing nothing. Remember when magic was this exciting and wonderful thing that changed lives?' Rachel turned around, and noticed Morpeth had long left.

Rachel finished dressing and went downstairs; wearing the same outfit she had when they first arrived back to Orin Fen after killing Safeke and, effectively, Yemi. She had decided to be casual, just a plain, tight fitted white long sleeved dress with intricate swirled patterns, with an orange bodice over it, and subtle jewellery. It was a distraction to spend time getting dressed, she could ignore the world around her. Rachel added a clip with gold leaves on it into the left side of her hair to finish it off, and then made her way down.

'When are you leaving?' her mum asked awkwardly.

'About two hours, but Volüsa tends to be early. Eric's ready I suppose?'

'No he's asleep.'

Rachel sighed, and made her way back upstairs to his room to find him sleeping, and the Prapsies mimicking his every move. She found herself smiling, as annoying as she found the joke creation birds, it meant her brother hadn't changed much – despite the piercings and tattoos he'd gotten with a fake ID, new fashion sense and posters all over the wall, he was still the same. This was most noticeable by the piles of work on his floor, sketches and drawings that were important for his art course, half-completed and even screwed up. How he ever got accepted into college was beyond her, but it was likely Volüsa had something to do with it.

Rachel used a quick spell to wake him up, not wanting to be yelled at by child-birds for disturbing him during his 'beauty sleep'.

'Volüsa's due in an hour,' Rachel said immediately. 'And you're asleep.'

'Not anymore, thanks to you.' He said sitting up as the Prapsies clawed at his hair in an attempt to neaten it. 'We're visiting Heiki today boys.'

Without a word, the Prapsies flew off in synchronization out Eric's window.

'They've gone to get snowdrops again, haven't they?' Rachel asked numbly.

'They think they're being nice Rach, it's not a big deal.' Eric replied. 'Heiki laughed when they told her she was as pretty as a snowdrop to try and cheer her up, to them that's what made her happy. And you know, putting flowers on, er, graves and all…'

Rachel's mouth twitched, the only response she could manage. Heiki had always hated anyone who tried to affectionately call her snowdrop or anything of the sort.

'Hate to interrupt,' Morpeth said from the doorway. 'But Volüsa's here early again. Earlier than usually, actually.'

Eric fell back into his bed. 'Alright I'll get up.'

'Come on, let's go visit Heiki.' Morpeth smiled and grabbed Rachel's hand, and Rachel returned the smile and let him lead her downstairs, and Eric quickly followed having only put on yesterday's jeans and shirt, and grabbing a folder of work.

'Why do you have that?' Volüsa asked from the dinning room table when he arrived downstairs.

'I have work to catch up on, it shouldn't take long.' Eric explained, still tired. 'I actually wanted to use you as a model for the unit on body drawing.' Volüsa grinned. 'If we just wait for the boys then we can go.'

'Actually can we stay here a while?' Volüsa asked. 'I'm early because everything over dinner was so tense with my family, everyone had been arguing. It's so stupid, everyone's so worked up over small attacks coming from Ool and it's never anything major. I'm so sick of having to talk about it. We don't have to get involved in petty fights happening around Ool. Let them fight amongst themselves.'

'But I want to have enough time with Heiki.' Rachel said timidly.

Volüsa tried to be gentle, ignoring her annoyance. 'You two can go ahead if you like, me and Eric can stay here.'

'I'll stay here too, I don't want to slow you down.' Morpeth added.

'No,' Rachel said instantly. 'I want you to come with me.'

Morpeth gave a single nod.

'Come on Eric let's go upstairs, I'll help you sort your stuff out.' Volüsa said, getting up and walking away before Eric could respond, so he had to follow her.

'Are you leaving already?'

Rachel turned around to see her mother having come in from the garden. 'No, Volüsa was just early, but we were going to leave now.'

'Oh I see. Do you know how long you're going for yet?'

'No.'

'Why?'

Rachel was hesitant to respond. 'Oriliagh is still making plans and we want to go to the festival she's arranging too, so it depends on that I suppose.'

Her mother replied bitterly, 'Get Oriliagh to rearrange it around you then, it's the least she could do.'

'Mum…' Rachel said weakly.

'It's true.'

'You'd like Oriliagh if you met her; she's really nice you know.' Rachel attempted, knowing it wouldn't sway her. 'She's a good person.'

'She had children with her brother, killed her parents, siblings and children. I'd be more wary of her.'

'I doubt she's in danger of murdering anyone.' Morpeth said matter-of-factly.

'I'm not saying she is – I'm saying her moral compass can't be completely in check.'

Rachel grew defensive. 'You know she tried to convince Safeke to just marry her anyway and ignore what anyone said, so they could be together.'

Her mother quickly replied. 'And the full version of that is that she also said they could ensure their family died so they would eventually rule, Eric told me.'

'Mum things were different for her, things are different on Orin Fen, the hierarchy is different, _everything_ is different there, she's isn't evil.'

'Rachel I think it would be better if you just left.'

'But mum—'

'Leave!'

Morpeth led Rachel towards the front door of the house. 'Rachel let's just go, your mum's just upset because of all that's happened and Oriliagh was a part of that.'

'But Oriliagh isn't—'

'I know, let's just go visit Heiki OK? You promised her you'd be there at sunrise.'

Rachel nodded, and Morpeth silently cursed himself. He had no idea how to comfort her but to let her engage in her delusions.

When Eric and Volüsa finally came downstairs, and Eric had made himself look presentable, gelling his black hair, finding the right studs and rings to put in his piercings, his mother was sat at the table leaning her forehead on her hand.

'Mum?' Eric asked, concerned, and the Prapsies flew over to her and nuzzled her, but she tried to wave them away as usual. 'What's wrong?'

His mother looked up and forced a smile. 'Nothing, it's fine.'

'No, come on what's wrong?' Volüsa asked. 'Rachel, right?'

She replied with a small nod.

'I don't know what to say,' Volüsa admitted. 'I mean you have her back now, and she's still grieving she needs all our support.'

'She talks about Heiki as if she's alive and living on Orin Fen.'

'It's how some people cope.' Eric added, wanting to comfort his mum and ashamed that he had less to say than Volüsa.

The Prapsies shouted their agreement, and it took Eric a few minutes to quiet them, having to threaten them with buying a bird cage until they eventually apologised and made a zipping motion on their lips. Volüsa did her best to mute her laughter at the birds everyone else seemed to find irritating more often than not.

Volüsa sat herself down and Eric followed her in doing the same, and the Prapsies returned to his shoulders. 'It's also a cultural thing,' Volüsa continued. 'On our planet we try not to mourn life but celebrate it, and I don't know what you believe but people don't go just because they're dead. I remember when I lost my father my mother told me even if he was dead he wasn't gone, he was just waiting for me somewhere else.'

'Volüsa that's a lovely sentiment,' Mum replied sharply. 'but it doesn't change the fact that my daughter is hurting, Heiki died and other, less deserving people lived.'

'I'm sorry.' Volüsa said; it was all she could say, no words could heal anything or make a real impact, only time could. She grabbed her Polaroid camera she had used to take photos of her and Eric to pin on her walls and put it in her bag. 'I would change things if I could. But I'm not a good or an anomaly of power. For what it's worth Heiki would have never expected you'd be upset at her death – she'd appreciate it.'

'You didn't even know the girl.' She spat in reply.

'Mum!' Eric burst. 'You can't just—'

'Tell the truth?'

'I'm sorry,' Volüsa interrupted before they could continue arguing. 'I was out of turn; it's just what I've heard about her from my father and such… Again, I'm sorry.'

Mum forced a smile. 'See you all in a few weeks.'


	2. Chapter 2

When Rachel arrived on Orin Fen everything was normal, it followed the same routine that felt like second nature, it was her second home. She didn't know how the others felt but she felt at home and the Rakafaes were a second family, albeit a dysfunctional one whose parents had some consanguinity to each other. But they functioned in their own way – and it made them better people for it. Larpskendya, with a mother who loved her brother, and a brother of his own who loved men and women equally, who had later gone on to marry and have children with an ex-prostitute from Say'Ban, had no room for prejudice even though he was one of the few Rakafaes who fitted into society, despite his marriage to a human. Safeke's traditionalist values had been forgotten, but he hadn't. When Rachel closed her eyes she could see him, hear him, everything in her memory was so vivid – perhaps she was becoming a Rakafae, she had their clothes, their mannerisms and ways, she knew how they worked, and she had some form of traumatic life event. She slotted right in.

By the time it was evening, Rachel forgot she had only arrived that morning. Wanting some time alone she went to her room and looked out from the balcony of her room, watching the sun set, it consumed the sky with its size as it illuminated Rachel's face with red-orange light. The peace was interrupted by Eric rushing into the room.

'You're gonna wanna come see this.' He said, out of breath and seeming almost panicked, so much so Rachel rushed after him, her chest tightening with fear.

Eric got her to walk slowly as they approached the corridor above the room voices were coming from. They both crouched down to avoid being seen, hiding behind the stone side of the hallway. The first voice Rachel could pick out was Larpskendya's.

'—not saying that it would be easy, or even moral, but you can't deny the possibilities of it.'

'This is Safeke's magic,' Oriliagh said. 'It would be best if we didn't mess with it.'

'If we're careful I truly believe we can do this.' Larpskendya pressed, clear passion in his voice, a desperation almost.

'If you're careful,' Oriliagh scoffed. 'Do you want to bring him back? Is that what you want?'

'Surely you know enough about this magic to be able to use it carefully.' Serpantha contributed, barely audible and even less caring.

Oriliagh laughed. 'Perhaps if my brother loved me he would have given me the knowledge.'

'OK, pretty sure the stress made everything that happened really stay in my memory, and if I'm right, he did love you.' Venibilles said aloofly.

'I'm with Larpskendya.' Zina said firmly. 'He's right, ya know, think o' what this can do. You're all bein' unreasonable.'

'Venibilles, no one even asked you to be here you just want some form of power as a Rakafae,' Oriliagh replied. 'Zina, we know you agree with him, you're his partner it's practically your job.'

'Well I'm with him too,' Volüsa said. 'If things get out of hand, we have Eric, I trust him.'

'Of course you would,' Owlola interjected. 'You have to trust him to do what we hear you two doing at night.'

Serpantha added, 'Owlola's right – this is a bad idea.'

'That's not what she said at all.' Volüsa grumbled. 'You're just jealous.'

'Watch your mouth!' Owlola reprimanded her. 'Earth is having an influence on you isn't it? Besides, I'm not having anymore children.'

'For now anyway.' Serpantha corrected.

'No – I mean never – I'm not doing it again.'

'Why?'

Owlola paused before her reply, presumably to process Serpantha's stupid question. 'Every time I get pregnant something bad happens. I lost the last one.'

'Nothing bad happened with Venibilles.' Serpantha argued.

Without changing her tone, Owlola said, 'Venibilles happened.'

'Ha.' Venibilles grunted, half-angry and half-amused at the joke made at his expense.

'This is clearly getting no where; no one is listening to me.' Larpskendya expressed.

'We are we just think you're an eejit.' Serpantha cut in.

'The fake Irish accent doesn't make you charming you visited Ireland over a millennia ago it would have worn off by now.'

'Boys!' Oriliagh shouted. 'Owlola purposely went to Earth to get an American accent to annoy him so let's leave their childish attempts to annoy each other between them. Meanwhile we're getting no where and all you're doing is getting drunk and ripping into each other.'

'It's how Rakafaes socialize, it's tradition.' Serpantha brushed it off. 'Until we can decide we can't do anything anyway so why does it matter?'

'But it isn't just for me. What about Rachel?' Larpskendya said quietly.

Serpantha had no emotion in his voice. 'Life is meaningless without death, someone always has to go first, and it's a part of life – you cope with it, as she is.'

'Is she? Or is she coping with it the same way you're coping, that is, not at all.'

'Oh shut up you two,' Zina interrupted. 'do it or don't do it – it won't change the universe. If you want do it without 'er and see if you can do it. If you can't she never knew anyway. No problem.'

Rachel stood up from her crouched position and looked over everyone below her. She coughed, wanting to catch their attention, but unsure what to say. Eric slowly stood up next to her, less boldly, not wanting to get in trouble.

'Or not.' Zina added before sitting down exasperated.

'Why are you all discussing these things? What's going on?' Rachel asked, but her voice came out angrier than she'd intended.

Larpskendya gestured for her to come down, and Rachel made a quick shift with Eric, not wanting to give them time to discuss anything more behind her back. 'Well?'

'It doesn't matter.' Oriliagh stood up and got ready to leave. 'I'm not messing with time – it's not right and I don't want to go back, I have nothing to go back to.'

'Wait!' Larpskendya reached out for her, even though they were too far apart for him to touch her, she still stopped. 'I know it's a terrible idea, dangerous and everything else we discussed but think of the potential. Lives saved, if we harnessed this power we could even change the past.'

Serpantha snapped, 'Larpskendya people die, it's a fact of life—'

'But it doesn't have to be,' Larpskendya cut him off. 'no one has to die using this, think of everyone who has died unjustly, we can bring them back. We don't have to be alone anymore!'

Serpantha shook his head, and as he left with his mother and Owlola, he said, 'We'll discuss this further in the morning, it's giving me a headache.'

'It's not even dark yet.'

'No but I'd rather not dwell on dead people like you do.' Serpantha yelled from the other room.

'Come on, let's go upstairs I'll fill you in.' Volüsa spoke up, moving next to Eric.

Eric ignored her. 'Or I could be told here.'

'White hole opened up because they're all over time, and we're debating using it to bring back dead people.' Venibilles filled them in coolly, undoing his long braid, letting his hair down so he could tie it into a bun to sleep. When let down his hair came to the bottom of his chest, his flaxen hair complimenting the shades of blue woven into his lilac robe that looked more like a kimono – half way between a robe and dress – so it wasn't clear if he was male or female, especially with blue silk belt he tied around his chest as a woman would.

Rachel looked in astonishment to Larpskendya, half-disgusted at having to think about Heiki's death, and half-hopeful. She then snapped her gaze back to Venibilles. 'Why are you and Volüsa involved in this decision?'

'We happened to be here when we found out,' Venibilles explained. 'Besides, I want some power in this family.'

'Well are you going to?' Rachel asked Larpskendya, her emotions unreadable.

Larpskendya looked her in the eyes. 'We have to discuss it further in the morning.' His gaze flashed between her and to the ceiling, and it took a few seconds for Rachel to understand.

Rachel was unsure how to act natural, so she hurriedly said, 'I'm going to bed. I don't think I can handle this right now.'

Rachel shifted away before Eric could say anything or try to stop her.

'You shouldn't have lead her down here!' Volüsa said, lighting hitting Eric on the arm. 'It's just upsetting for her.'

'She has a right to know…' Eric grumbled. 'I don't see the big deal.'

'I'm with Eric – she'd find out eventually.' Venibilles chipped in. 'Besides by the time everyone in this house is done arguing about what to do it would have closed, you know. Good thing to, I never want to see Safeke again.'

When Rachel got upstairs she decided to go find Morpeth instead, and by the time she found him she was crying.

'What's wrong?' he asked immediately, bolting up from his position on the bed.

Rachel ran to him and threw her arms around him, and it was a full minute until she was able to break away and speak. 'A white hole's opened up. There's a debate going on about whether to go in it and see if we can bring back the dead.'

Morpeth tried to hide his shock and confusion, wanting to draw back from her. 'Then why are you crying?'

'Because I'm scared,' she dried her eyes and calmed down a little. 'What if it works? What if it doesn't? What if we aren't allowed to use it?'

'Rachel whatever happens things either won't change or will change for the better.'

'What about Heiki…'

'Rachel, she either stays gone or you have a chance to save her. I know it's scary but it's nothing to get so anxious about.'

Rachel shook her head. 'But we risk bringing Safeke back or getting killed or something if we do it.'

'Then why do it?'

'Don't say that!' Rachel caught herself. 'I'm sorry I'm all over the place. I—'

'Shhh, it's alright, just calm down.' Morpeth reassured her, more clueless on how to help her than ever before. 'Things are going to be fine, whatever happens, whether you can bring people back or not we'll get through this.'

'I don't want to. Not without her.'

'I know. But you will.' Morpeth paused. 'The world doesn't stop turning for anyone. It will always hurt when you think about her – just gradually, less and less, until you don't think about her so much.'

Rachel sighed and sat on the bed. 'Everyone here has lost so much, so many people, you all must think I'm pathetic.'

'You're allowed to feel sad Rachel.'

'I guess,' Rachel answered quietly.

'Then why feel bad? Of course this is hard – you've never dealt with this before. The first loss is the worst. After a while you get used to the grieving process or become numb to it.'

Rachel embraced him. 'You always know what to say to make me feel better.'

Morpeth half-laughed. 'After a while you get good comforting people if you've done it for centuries.'

Rachel only held him tighter.

'Sorry to interrupt,' Larpskendya's voice came from behind her. 'but I have a proposition for you.'

Rachel turned and sat on the edge of the bed, fixated, her eyes bloodshot. 'Yes?'

'How would you feel about leaving tonight to visit the white hole? Investigate and try it out.'

_Heiki_, Rachel thought instantly. 'But Serpantha will be—'

'Furious, yes,' Larpskendya continued. 'but he's all words, you should have seen him when I wanted to marry Zina, and when I wished to have a child with her. He said he'd never speak to me again if I did but he planned half the ceremony and cried when Athena was born. If we can get this to work he knows the potential and who is he to object to it?'

'How high is the risk?' Morpeth asked.

Larpskendya paused. 'There is no way of telling.'

Morpeth looked at Rachel Earnestly. 'Rachel are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to – Heiki wouldn't want you to die, you know.'

'Of course I know that.' Rachel replied. 'but if I didn't take this chance I couldn't live anymore – if it gets too dangerous we'll leave.'

'I wish I could come with you to make you adhere to that.' Morpeth muttered.

'We leave tonight, I'll wake you up at some point and we'll leave while everyone's asleep.'

Rachel didn't sleep. How could she? Her chest clenched with the potential of this. She spent much longer than necessary finding something to wear that wasn't obstructive to movement – she decided on a dress with no belt or details – and tying her hair into a bun, keeping it away from her face. From then it was just a waiting game as Rachel's spells kept investigating everyone in the house, checking to see when they fell asleep. Oriliagh was the last to go. An hour after that, Larpskendya still hadn't come to get her, but she daren't risk spoiling his plan so stayed put. It felt like she had only blinked when Larpskendya lightly roused her from a sleep.

'We have to be quick.' He said.

Rachel didn't respond, she only followed him. There were no words to describe how she felt, and she figured it must be the same for him. It barely needed to be said who they both planned to save, but Larpskendya explained it anyway, and explained the risk of them both entering different time zones, and the risk that they may get stuck in the past. Rachel didn't care, having magic meant they could keep their bodies young and live millennia, in the worst case they could live out a century or two on another world together waiting until they could go home. Although if they got stuck in the past, surely they would be able to change it? Neither of them dared to think about it.

They reached the edge of the anomaly in space, knowing Safeke was at it's core, and Rachel felt every muscle in her body clench, she wanted to vomit, scream, cry – anything to get the emotion out – she couldn't help but remember how things had been the first time she'd seen a white hole. Heiki had been there. She remembered it all so vividly.

Larpskendya put his hand on her shoulder. 'You can do this.'

'I never said I couldn't.'

Larpskendya gave a single nod. 'Meet you back here, if you take too long I'll come after you – but promise me you won't come after me. When I found my daughter she was dead already, I will have to use this energy to revive her, and I don't have explain why that's dangerous.'

'Good luck.' Rachel said dazedly. She wished she didn't have to do this alone, but it's the least she'd do for Heiki. To just see her face again would be simultaneously the most painful and joyous moment of her life. Blanking her mind, Rachel shifted and manipulated the white hole as quickly as she could to show the memory she wanted. It nearly drained all her energy but she opened the pathway, and not knowing how long it would take to close, she threw her entire body into it.

She opened her eyes and found herself on the balcony hallway around the sides of the dining hall, and she instantly ducked down. She could here the voices below, it was surreal and Rachel forced herself to be calm. _It's over_, she thought, _just push through this for Heiki. _Hearing Heiki's voice was enough to make Rachel want to cry out. Hearing her own cries and everyone else's, their pleas and shouts, was worse. Heiki was dying all over again, something that had already been engrained in her memory, to witness it again without being able to save Heiki would be enough for Rachel to lose her sanity. The sound of blood splattering, flesh being cut open, Safeke's and Calen's screams moulded together gave Rachel a pleasure she'd never admit to having. This pleasure was quickly taken away when she heard Yemi's voice. Could she save him too? Surely not this version of him, but an earlier one who hadn't been brainwashed by Safeke. If everything she had experienced was possible surely that was… No, focus on Heiki, she told herself, if this works we can use it again and then save everyone else. If this worked – no – it had to work, it _had_ to.

The Prapsies had been Dragwena's spies on Ithrea for centuries – half creepy, half hilarious in appearance, they still had great speed and ability. Having child-birds that never shut up seemed a much better, cooler idea at nine years old than it did at sixteen when he had a girlfriend. They were still good company, though, and Eric would spend hours in his room with them drawing as they endlessly complimented his work. He would even draw them for his art GCSE work, along with drawings of buildings on Orin Fen; he would even draw Heebra, Calen, Larpskendya and Serpantha, and places on Ithrea and Ool. He was always praised for creativity in his creation of elaborate fantasy worlds and creatures. The Prapsies were similar to Eric in his creativity, his need to explore, and his subtle caring nature. Even when Eric gave them freedom to explore the vast planet of Orin Fen they still came back to the Rakafae mansion to check on everyone at night and mutter there babble to each other. But tonight Rachel and Larpskendya were missing, and the Prapsies failed to find them anywhere, so awoke everyone in the household and began to panic, to which Eric could only calm them down. 'Even if he has gone to that place with Rach we can't do anything about it – we can only wait.'

'Eric has a point.' Oriliagh added. 'As much as I appreciate being woken by screaming, drooling demon birds we really have no choice but to wait until morning.'

'What if something happens?' Serpantha asked, hiding his panic with anger.

Oriliagh shrugged. 'I'm too tired to care anymore. We won't know until morning so we should just go back to bed.'

'Don't you care about Rachel?' asked one Prapsie, attempting to seem threatening.

'Yeah!' agreed the other, unintentionally spitting in her face.

'You just got spit on a queen's face!'

'No I didn't.'

'Yes you did!'

Volüsa threw some food in the air for them to catch to shut them up and Oriliagh wiped her face in apathetic disgust.

Serpantha looked to his mother. 'I can't sleep knowing the danger they put themselves in.'

Oriliagh was as reassuring as she could be on only 3 hours sleep. 'Then don't, but your brother knows what he's doing; he's a capable adult. You forget that more often than not.'

'This will really screw Rachel up if this goes wrong. I hope he knows that.'

'We all know that.' muttered Venibilles, still unsure why he had to be there when usually everyone tried their best to get rid of him when discussing serious matters.

'If it works though…' Zina said, having been painfully quiet the whole time, not wanting to spark any arguments as everyone knew she was on her husband's side, and as she expected all eyes turned to her. 'Dun't look at me as if I'm responsible – I agree with 'im, don't mean I encouraged 'im.'

_You speak like a true Queen_, Oriliagh thought, having the bite her tongue to stop from saying it aloud.

Larpskendya's presence was instantly detected in the house.

'Now we can get answers from the man himself and we can calm down.' Oriliagh announced. 'We can have a full discussion of the consequences later. First I want to meet whoever he's brought back.'

Zina's heart leapt, and she no longer cared about revealing that she knew what Larpskendya was doing and assisted him, she just ran through the house until she reached the main living room at the front of the house.

'Get help then!' Larpskendya almost shouted, causing Zina to run faster.

When she entered the room she saw him with Rachel, and a frail, unconscious body on the flaw, white hair laced with sweat. Zina nearly collapsed in defeat. Of course they could only rescue Heiki. Athena didn't make her rescue possible, she was already dead, but Heiki could still be revived, she was still slightly alive. But Zina wouldn't let herself cry, not when this was meant to be happy.

A few seconds before Larpskendya had presumably told Rachel to get help, a small figure jumped up from out of view, long black wavy hair consuming her face and shoulders, and a elaborate red skirt with a web of thin under layers to puff it up, and a piece of cloth wrapped around her torso for a top. She had a thicker frame but still appeared thin, with monolided eyes and full lips, and a perfectly sculpted nose.

Zina starred in shock and her breathing became heavy, causing Larpskendya to turn and see her. 'Not now. Heiki isn't responsive. We need help.'

Zina instantly cried out for help, shouting through the house for everyone to hurry, and they all appeared in the room immediately.

Serpantha ran to Heiki and lifted her up and spoke in his own language before switching back to English. 'Rachel, come with me and Heiki.'

Rachel forgot how to breathe. come with me.'o ENglish.f them away to another room. se for everyone to hurry.

but still appeared thin, with big eyes and full


	3. Chapter 3

Serpantha pulled down Heiki's body suit to her waist, and began pressing on her chest in a rhythm and breathing into her mouth every few counts. Rachel felt like she was going to throw up her heart; she couldn't watch Heiki die again. _This was a terrible idea. _She caught herself. _No. Only if it fails. I knew it had to be risky—_

Serpantha said the best thing he could to interrupt her thoughts. 'We've got a pulse.'

'When do you think she'll wake up?' Rachel asked eagerly, refraining from running to Heiki, still high in every emotion she was capable of feeling.

Serpantha was silent.

'What is it now?'

'Knowing my father…I don't think all he did would be strangle her. He prepares for every situation he's had years to plan what he did – he would have used magic on her as well.'

Rachel sat on the bed next to Heiki and covered her with a blanket. 'Remove any spells he used then if you can't we have Eric, he can do anything.'

'My sister, Áraliná, remember her?'

'Of course I do.'

'She died of illness,' Serpantha continued delicately. 'A illness many people died from because it was something we had never seen before – a kind of illness of magic. It uses your own magic to kill you. Of course she could have survived if she didn't have other problems, but that's besides the point.'

Rachel took Heiki's hand and looked at her motionless face. 'That's the kind of spell he put on her? Get Eric then.'

'If Eric tried to remove it he could kill her.' Serpantha said heavily. 'And I don't think she'd thank you if she woke up without magic.'

'You don't know Eric, you don't understand what he's capable of you're the one who left us on Earth for years and he's grown since then—'

'Rachel, we can try but don't count on him.' Serpantha took a deep intake of breath and then shouted at the top of his lungs. 'Larpskendya!'

In mere seconds he appeared in the room. 'Yes?'

'I don't know what to do but I'm certain Heiki has spells on her slowly killing her.'

Larpskendya moved over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. 'I can't find anything,' he said eventually. 'Are you sure?'

'I know my father.' Serpantha replied stubbornly.

'I'll see what I can do.'

Serpantha looked to Rachel. 'I think it's best if you leave.'

'What? No, I want to be here when she wakes up.'

'Rachel there's no guarantee she will.' Serpantha paused. 'If she does it won't be any time soon she needs time to recuperate. Remember when you rescued me from Ool? It took me nearly a day to wake up and months to recover.'

'But Heiki was only strangled.' Rachel insisted. 'She'll be fine.'

'Rachel please leave.'

Rachel stormed out the room.

Serpantha noticed Larpskendya's urge to go after her. 'We have more important things to worry about; she'll be fine we have other people in this house to look after her.' He paused. 'I can't believe you did this.'

Larpskendya was too ecstatic and full of hope to pickup on his brother's mood. 'I know, I'm sorry – but now we know it's safe, we can bring people back.'

'We can't,' Serpantha replied. 'It's closed. Eric picked it up, it's some form of defence mechanism. You're lucky a past version of my father didn't come after you.'

'We'll have to wait until the next one to bring other people back then.'

'No, you aren't listening to me!' Serpantha caught his anger and changed his tone back to his usual calm, sing-song one; he had promised never to talk to family, or anyone, the way his father did. 'The idea of bringing people back from the dead makes me very uncomfortable – especially given the risks of using father's magic.'

Larpskendya remained almost arrogantly positive. 'But look at what we can do! I hardly think you feeling uncomfortable should stop us.'

'It isn't us. You never did accept death well…'

'Now we don't have to,' Larpskendya's passion made it even harder for Serpantha to reject his arguments.

'This ends here.' Serpantha commanded. 'You got your family back and now Rachel can't move on. You have what you wanted.'

'She may still wake up…'

Serpantha's anger melted into sadness. 'We both know she won't. We can't do anything for her we can only lie to Rachel and say we have. How could you do this to me? To Rachel? Not to mention the enormous magical—'

Larpskendya finished the sentence for him. 'Yes, yes, a big signal of magic that Witches could detect and find our unprotected planet, you've said it many times. Sorry.'

'That's all you have to say? An insincere sorry?'

Owlola entered the room and looked at her husband's stance. 'You'd look less like a woman if you didn't put your hands on your hips constantly.'

'This isn't the time.' Serpantha replied, not turning around to look at her leaning the doorway. 'I frequently try to make myself hate you when you act so foolish, brother, and I never quite succeed. Life would be easier if I could hate you.'

'Oh lighten up,' Owlola moved closer, put her arms over his shoulders and held him, resting her head on his shoulder. 'What's done is done.'

Serpantha pushed her away. 'Fine. But whatever happens next on your head be it.'

Larpskendya tried to reason with his brother. 'You don't know if anything bad will—'

Serpantha nearly lashed out at him in anger, and his shouting rang through the room cutting through everything in its path, 'There is a chance and you – you just decided to go behind my back, endanger a child, and bring back the dead just because you can? That's the only reason you do anything anymore! Because you can, was I too soft on you when you were a child? Is that why you do these things? You never think of anyone else, you just think I'm Larpskendya and I can do what I want.'

Larpskendya was silent.

'And all you have to say – the one phrase that comes out of your mouth is an insincere sorry followed by congratulating yourself?' Serpantha stopped shouting, and his voice became steady and firm, although slightly hoarse. 'I have always admired your integrity, and now look at you.' Serpantha gathered himself and briefly straightened his robe awkwardly. 'As I said, on your head be it.'

Serpantha promptly left, and once he had Owlola said, 'He's just being Serpantha – he'll go spend some time with Athena and they'll piss about like children and he'll be over it.'

Larpskendya's voice was clipped and reserved. 'He's right about Heiki though.'

'We'll find the best doctor on Orin Fen and pay her to look after her.' Owlola paused, absorbing the emotion of everything that had happened. 'Eventually Rachel will realise she isn't coming back to us and do the right thing.'

'We hope.'

'No, we hope she wakes up. But that doesn't look like it's happening any time soon does it?' Owlola paused. 'Sorry. Are you alright?' She reached out to place her hand on his shoulder, and as soon as she touched him his emotions released.

Rachel's first instinct was to search for Morpeth or Eric, anyone with compassion or understanding, but instead she wondered around a building she had come to know so well yet at first it seemed impossible to ever navigate it. She had no sense of where she was going; her head was far to clouded to form a thought. Eventually, as most halls lead there, she made her way back to the central building and the living room to find Zina and Athena laying on the sofa, Athena leaned into her. Zina sensed her presence and propped herself up to talk. 'Well?'

'Heiki is alive.' Rachel blurted. 'I…'

'Shht, aye, it's alright. This is all a shock to the system right now – well, for those of us who've been alive constantly.' Zina nudged her daughter. 'Oi, it wouldn't do you no harm to 'ave some kinda social interaction.'

Athena let out a sigh, not a genuine one, but one with the aim of making a point. 'No.'

While others celebrated, however, Serpantha had more troubling issues on his mind, having to visit Calen and ask a favour. He sat at Owlola's sister's home table hearing her argue with Calen above, trying to persuade her to come down. Eventually Calen begrudgingly too a seat opposite him, Nylo wrapped firmly around her upper arm and slithering to her neck, restless as always. Her hair had grown so thick, black, curly hair surrounded her head like a halo. There was an awkward pause while Serpantha tried to work out if she'd speak first.

'How have you been?' He asked.

Calen stroked Nylo and muttered, 'As if you care. You barely visit.'

Silence fell again.

'Calen…' Serpantha began. 'Calen we have an emergency and I cannot afford to play games. You know what recent events have unfolded thanks to my brother—'

'And yet you, and all of Orin Fen, still support him.' Calen cut him off. 'I make a few mistakes and I'm a demon because everybody loves you and Larpskendya, but it seems you two can get away with murder.'

Serpantha ignored her. 'Calen I need you to go to Ool.'

Calen looked at him, momentarily stunned. 'I can't.'

'Yes you can. Please. We need to know what's going on and you're safe on Ool. A Witch or Gridda could never imitate High Witch customs, but you can go undercover in their society.'

Calen raised an eyebrow. 'And you trust me to do this?'

'Why wouldn't I?'

'I can think of at least two reasons.'

Serpantha shrugged. 'What do you have to go back to on Ool? Even if you lead an army here we vastly outnumber any possible Witches on Ool. This is our one opportunity to have a major advantage. Work with me.' Serpantha paused, realizing his lack of persuasiveness. 'Please. If nothing else it'll give you something to do.'

'Why do I need to go?' Calen said after pretending to think about what he'd said.

'We are an unprotected planet.' Serpantha began.

Before he could continue, Calen said, 'Thanks to humans and Lyrai being the wonderful friend to you she is.'

'The white hole my brother—'

'Serpantha,' Calen said harshly, although her expression seemed the opposite. 'I'm not a child you don't need to explain this all. Power surge as before and the lack of activity from Ool is concerning. Probably just a civil war, then again the last civil war on Ool lasted a century. Send my mother's Grandmother insane.'

'Oh?' Serpantha replied, unsure what to say, his knowledge on Rysasim was limited despite having battled her on many occasions. Few dared to interact with her. His father had once or twice but it was little except her insane ramblings. Only her power kept her ruler, no one could challenge her until Heebra took over.

'Not that you care to learn about our side of history.' Calen paused in thought. 'I wonder how much is documented. I'll go to Ool and scout but only if you find the best records of history you can for me.'

'I never regarded you as an intellectual.' Serpantha said impressed.

Calen smiled. 'We can't all rely on magic such as your brother does. I had to try an impress my mother some how, my fighting wasn't much above average.'

Serpantha added, 'That and the fact you know how to rule and don't carry your mother's insanity.'

'You're very quick to call people insane yet your brother risks everything for a human woman and now he has his daughter back.' Calen stared at him, her voice almost shaking. 'How many lives has he taken? I couldn't bare the answer of how many sisters of mine he has slaughtered but he gets to be happy. He gets his family back with no consequence.'

'Calen what's done is done. Rightly or wrongly this is how things are and all we can do is live with it.'

Calen's tone became cold. 'I'm going to need whatever resources I require no questions asked.'

'Come to my home we have anything you need.' Serpantha replied cautiously.

Calen took her time getting ready and making herself presentable. It was the most effort she'd taken in her appearance for years. Not that she much cared, she didn't care for anything nowadays, but she had to look decent. She shed her flowing dress and instead took black fabric and fashioned a tight fitting gown with a hooded overcoat to hide her identity – it was simple but it would have to do, Orin Fen didn't have the resources for elaborate gowns the rich women of Ool wore. At least on Ool she had some kind of life and status, on Orin Fen this was the most excitement she got. When it came time to leave, however, a sickness grew in the pit of her stomach, a sickness she would never admit to.

Space travel wasn't something Calen enjoyed – especially alone – she found it left her too much time to think and she began to go half mad the longer she spent chasing the stars. Her mind raced with thoughts of home. As she approached her planet the sickness overwhelmed her, it flooded her body and mind making her unable to do anything but stare at the planet below as anger and sadness overwhelmed her. Her entire life lay below on the planet, yet none of it may remain. There would be no one she knew on the planet below. The Witches would be those Safeke brought back, whom he had to control to make them obey her. They could be from any time in history. Living on Ool with her mother Calen never felt a true sense of belonging but for once she was truly alone.

Deciding to get it over with, she descended to the planet below and headed for the bottom of Thûn – people living at the bottom of the mountain would have no care for what she did there, or who she was. People looked out for themselves. Odd considering Say'Ban reminded her so much of the slums of Ool yet everyone in Say'Ban knew each other. Here people bumped into her on the street and looked at her as if she'd attacked them. She tried to listen in on people talking but heard nothing of substance. Perhaps she was wrong to seek information at this time, amongst people who only cared about being able to fight – not caring for the strategy involved or reason why, just because they wanted something to do. These people had always disgusted her but they made good fighters. If only humans had been like that, she pondered, before her thoughts were interrupted by someone colliding with her yet again. Calen didn't speak and decided to walk on when she was pushed to the ground from a blow to her back. The Witch she bumped into had decided to pick a fight. Not uncommon for the lower classes, but it had been so long since Calen had fought she remained on her hands and knees stunned for mere seconds longer than she should have. Enough to show weakness. She began to hear taunts and jeering, and suddenly understood why her mother despised watching fights of student Witches: they were juvenile, boring and ridiculous to watch. Someone from the crowd called her weak and in a second Calen shifted so she was a mere foot away from her challengers face. Her challenger began gesturing to the crowd to cheer her on.

Calen fired her attack, so powerful it knocked her opponent across the street and jolted Calen back slightly, but she managed to maintain balance despite her overcoat being knocked off. Calen didn't expect her own attack to be so powerful, her spells were begging to be used for over a year and they didn't waste an opportunity. Before she knew what was happening, everyone in range was staring at her and looking to each other. Her opponent cowered on the ground.

'C-Calen,' she stuttered. 'I didn't know it was you forgive me.'

Knowing what people expected from her, Calen fired one last, lethal spell that the Witch did not resist.


	4. Chapter 4

Calen knew it would be seen as cowardly – at best unusual – for her to leave, but she had no idea how to respond to this situation. She recognised none of these Witches yet they seemed to know her. A few minutes ago her mind was racing and now she couldn't form a single thought. These Witches were looking at her expectantly; what they expected Calen had no clue.

'Get me my cloak.' Calen ordered.

The nearest Witch grabbed it hastily and held it for Calen to put it on before shifting away to a secluded area. She leant against the wall and sunk down, burying her head into her knees, listening to the sound of her own breathe.

'What do I do?' she whispered to herself.

Once Calen had gained her composure she decided to go to the source of whatever was happening on Ool. She couldn't get in too much trouble, if the lower classes new where the richer and more powerful Witches living at the top of the mountain should have at least heard of her. Then again nothing could be taken for granted anymore and nothing was for certain. Except that news could quickly spread that she had be spotted to whatever higher power was looking for her. If anyone knew she was the daughter of Heebra they would instantly perceive her as a threat – why wouldn't they? Dragwena was a threat, so Calen would be too. While being daughter to Heebra protected her on Ool, ever since her mother departed it had been a burden and caused her more trouble than it was worth.

If she was going to stay safe, she had to stay hidden and low profile when investigating the top of the mountain. Spells to conceal her existence could draw suspicion so she had to rely purely on her stealth. Not being able to enter another Witch's home limited her ability to find information, and she could hardly ask another Witch who was in power. What did Serpantha expect from her? The fool had no idea what he was doing. He knew nothing about Ool yet he dared to assume she could find information so easily. As if Ool had no culture or custom. But people knew her. If she was known for negative things, she reasoned, she would have been killed or scorned. Instead she seemed to be treated with a mix of respect and fear – something she would see her mother receive and be envious of.

Luckily, or rather, unluckily as fate would have it, Calen didn't have to seek out the leader of Ool before she sought her out. It was an odd occurrence for a Queen to leave her tower unless it was an event, and it was even rarer to have her take to the skies and flying amongst everyone else, regardless of class. This, however, isn't what stunned Calen so much that she couldn't speak for a shamefully long time. She had already made herself look weak. It was enough to make her forget their positions hovering in the sky surrounded by Witches, eager to see the outcome.

Calen, still trembling, feeling as if she could be sick at any moment, stammered a single word. 'M-mother?'

Wordlessly, Heebra shifted the two of them to her tower. Calen didn't notice they had moved at all_. You've seen people come back to life before_, she told herself, _keep it together. This could easily be a trick. Am I being punished? _

'Where have you been?' Heebra asked.

There was emotion in Heebra's voice, which offered some comfort, however Calen couldn't read what emotion. Her second thought was: where have I been?

'Recovering, finding shelter across space wherever I could. I was injured.' Calen hastily explained, praying her mother wouldn't see through any lies.

'Injured? Tell me how and when.'

_Say something clever_, she told herself as she tried to calm her heart rate. 'I was ambushed.'

'Odd.' Heebra idly walked around the room, brushing her finger along furniture. 'It's never been known of a Wizard to attack unprovoked.'

'I don't remember anything before the attack.' Calen lied, desperate for her mother's interrogation to end. 'I thought you were dead.'

'I was.' Heebra looked her directly in the eyes. 'In fact most people here have memories of death. According to what I've heard you harnessed a power greater than I have ever witnessed to reverse time. You found a place in the universe with enough magic to use. However, if you remember nothing…'

Calen felt her mother preparing a death spell. 'What are you doing?' she asked, unable to conceal her panic.

Heebra was careless in her answer. 'I was well informed of what happened after I died. You have disgraced me and serve no use to me.'

'If the fact I have been to Orin Fen means nothing to you then yes, I am useless, mother.' Calen said as calmly as she could, trying to match her mother's carelessness.

'Prove it. Give me one reason to believe you.' Heebra spat.

Calen only hesitated for a second. 'I know exactly what to do. If we invaded we would be vastly outnumbered however both Larpskendya and Serpantha have children, loved ones, which we can use to get to them. If I am given a second chance it would be a thrilling victory.'

'You have your chance.' Heebra agreed. 'Now get out of my sight and make yourself look like you belong here.'

Calen nodded and shifted away, straight away from Ool without thought, and headed back to Orin Fen. Nylo wrapped tightly around her upper arm and moved his head, stroking her with his chin.

Heebra immediately found an adviser she trusted. 'I want you to keep an eye on my daughter.'

'Yes my Queen.' She answered without hesitation. 'I trust it went well?'

'No. I fear my daughter may be a traitor. She is useful for now, however, and we must please the public so keep this between us. If anyone finds out I shall make you wish for death.'

'Yes my Queen.'

Serpantha awoke just before dawn, and decided to see if Calen had returned with any news. He expected her to take longer than a day so was shocked to find her asleep, as if she had collapsed, on the sofa, curled up and wrapped in her cloak. He gently touched her shoulder and woke her.

'Calen?'

'What?' she snapped.

'What's the report on Ool?'

He fetched her a drink and Calen shyly took it from him before answering. 'A high population, thousands, as it should be, but no one of particular skill. Only 800 or so that would be worthy of bringing into battle. I found that odd. I have no idea who is ruling but I planned to keep visiting. I could find out more. It would give me something to do.'

'It sounds as if you've been thinking about this quite extensively.' Serpantha replied.

Calen shrugged. 'Space travel alone gives you time to think.'

'Why didn't you find a room to sleep in?' Serpantha asked. 'There's plenty. Or you could have found me and I would have directed you somewhere.'

'I wouldn't want to intrude on a house that hates me.'

Serpantha creased his brow. 'No one here hates you.'

'Heiki's alive now.'

'The situation with her is complex but she doesn't…' Serpantha paused. 'I'm not getting involved in this it really isn't my business.'

A year later Rachel was readying herself to visit Heiki on Orin Fen. But instead of visiting a grave, she got to visit Heiki, in the flesh, and really tell her about everything that had happened. The only different thing was that she had a flesh version of Heiki to talk to, and that Owlola had a son born with washed out blue eyes, and thick white hair in loose curls.

Rachel came downstairs to Eric, Volüsa and her mother all sat around the table.

'Hey, Rach – agree with me on this,' Eric called to her as soon as he saw her. 'It isn't a terrible idea to bring the motorbike to Orin Fen.'

'No, it's a terrible idea.' Rachel smirked, causing the Prapsies to blow raspberries in her face. 'Why do we keep those two around?'

'Because you don't want them around.' Eric teased. 'So yeah, about the bike –'

'You're not taking a bike through space.'

'Why not?'

'It's stupid.'

'You're stupid.'

'You're mature.' Rachel raised an eyebrow. 'Haven't you got work to do anyway?'

Eric shrugged. 'It's only research into an artist and drawing in his style. I was going to draw Volüsa on Orin Fen. But with a motorbike – a mix of worlds, or to them, a mix of realism and fantasy. Also wanted to do a few other drawings.'

'Sounds deep and meaningful.' Rachel said dryly, she figured she must have absorbed some of Heiki's cynicism and sarcasm. 'Except you'll only draw what you want rather than what you need to in order to get a grade.'

'They won't. They reckon I have potential so they want me there.'

'That must do wonders for your ego.' Rachel muttered.

'We'll take the bike. Besides it's sounds fun and what harm can it do?' Volüsa concluded. 'My aunt won't object and she's queen so what the queen says goes.'

Rachel looked down at her Orin Fen dress. _My brother's dating a princess, a wizard's daughter. And I'm here. Wearing the dress of a dead former princes, a daughter of Safeke and Oriliagh, brother and sister royalty. _It all seemed so surreal.

'Hey Rach can you go get the work from under my bed? I need it I think I'll have my final piece be a mix of all those pictures.'

Rachel sighed in annoyance and agreed to go get them.

'As I was saying,' mum said as soon as Rachel was out of earshot. 'It's been two years and nothing's changed. She's only come to terms with Heiki being missing, not with her dying and being, well, gone. It's better than when she'd want to go visit a statue and talk about it like it was a person but…'

'I know,' Eric agreed. 'Even Serpantha thinks she's brain dead with no chance of waking up. He still hopes but he doesn't think it's what will happen, unlike Rachel.'

'What are we meant to do? Kill Heiki?' Volüsa slotted in. 'We keep her alive even if she never wakes up.'

'That's not what Serpantha said,' Eric reminded. 'and I agree, you can't keep her alive forever.'

'Why does she have less right to live?'

Eric was surprised by Volüsa's passion. 'Let's not get into it.'

By the time Morpeth, Rachel, Volüsa and Eric arrived on Orin Fen it was just past midday, but Eric had at least agreed to leave the bike. Rachel disappeared straight to Heiki, barely greeting anyone, only caring about telling her all about what had happened. Occasionally she would catch herself in the midst of a passionate speech about a book she'd read and have to stop talking, realizing she was making up Heiki's replies in her head and talking to a shell of a body. Whenever these thoughts got too invasive she'd take a small walk, and her footsteps could be heard like clockwork everyday. She never left Heiki's side except when requested, for meals and when a doctor would tend to her. It was generally accepted that Rachel would take Heiki everywhere with her if she could, but the situation was never verbalised and. like most issues, it was buried under casual conversation.

That evening Rachel decided to eat as quickly as possible so she could leave. Without Heiki she was lonely anyway, not that loneliness had ever been a problem for her, she had always been of an extroverted nature; it was simply a case of her becoming much less open since Heiki's passing. That and her loss of company, but she couldn't work out whose fault it was. As kind and open as Zina was Rachel never felt that at ease talking to Larpskendya when she was around and Zina was so willing to share every aspect of her life that it often caught Rachel off guard – such personal emotions were never spoken about so casually. For someone who had never received any qualifications, due to dropping out of school because of anxiety, she came across confident and it was hard to imagine her ever feeling scared of anything. It perplexed Rachel but she considered it impolite and improper to ask. Athena confused her further and Rachel often felt too shy to speak to her. She was odd, not in the way Heiki was, and Heiki certainly made more effort to speak and get to know people, but Athena had no capacity to focus on two things at once. She seemed to have no interest in people – except Morpeth. Once she had chosen him to be the object of her affections she became so obsessive and open – but only with him. She never spoke with more than one person at a time and she spent most of her time conversing with Morpeth, about subjects of her desire like books and history of Earth and Orin Fen. Whenever Rachel spoke to Athena, dialogue was awkward and slow, and Athena never looked Rachel in the eyes. Rachel took this as Athena disliking her. And Eric was pre-occupied with his girlfriend for her to join conversation with them. She still had others to talk to but it never ridded her of that sinking feeling inside her. Heiki had been almost an extension of herself, they were so used to each others company, and Rachel couldn't quite function without her; it was wrong, and it made her feel empty, as if she'd lost part of herself.

Straight after dinner she decided to have a bath, try to relax to the sunset, but somehow baths didn't relax her the way they used to. The sun shone through the balcony, as big as the other walls in the room giving the illusion and wall was missing. It offered a beautiful view of the ocean, the beach and the sun. She lit the fire underneath the bath – a square, above floor structure that had complex mosaic patterns all over it. Water, which was changed daily, was already filling it and warm from the heat of the sun. Rachel undressed and carefully folded her clothes; it offered a distraction until the bath was ready, and once it was she added her favourite oil to the water – pink oil that smelt like honey and raspberries – and climbed the steps into it, before she submerged herself up to her neck and watched the sunset and the stars begin to show. After a few minutes of relaxation, her mind, again, began to drift. Without constant distraction she would find herself thinking of Heiki, longing for her, missing her, and wanting her to be there. _It must've been a horrid way to go_, Rachel mouthed to herself, almost thinking aloud. Staring into the sun, Rachel took a breath and sunk underwater.

After a mix of bribery and nagging by Owlola, Serpantha decided to take his son to have a bath. He needed to wash more regularly to moisturise his skin as it was easily, and frequently, burnt by the red sun of Orin Fen. His thick hair provided some protection but never enough. As soon as Serpantha saw the fire of the bath already on, he placed his son on the floor. 'Stay here Tiargan.' While he couldn't speak yet, Serpantha was certain he understood what others were saying. He reminded him of Yemi that way.

Rachel felt hands grasp her shoulders and pull her out the water. She instantly gasped for air, and had to blink a few times before she saw Serpantha above her.

'I was…' she began, but didn't know how to explain herself.

Serpantha took a thick white sheet from the cabinet on the side and rested it on the edge, without saying a word, and left her to get out and dry herself. She wrapped herself in the fabric and gave a small cough to get his attention.

'Wait out on the Balcony for me.' Serpantha said, emotion unreadable.

Rachel awoke to see the last of the sun disappearing into the ocean, and Serpantha sat next to her, amusing the still wet-haired Tiargan.

'You're awake, finally.' Serpantha commented.

'It isn't—'

'I know.'

'How?'

'It's a horrible way to go, suffocating, of all the ways to die that's one of the worst.' He turned to look at her. 'You don't need to cause yourself any more torment.'

Only Tiargan's babbling filled the silence.

Eventually, Serpantha said, 'You should talk to Athena.'

'She doesn't like me.' Rachel muttered.

'Whatever gave you that impression?' Serpantha half laughed. 'It's just Athena, trust me, she's…odd that way.'

'Mm.'


End file.
